Callye Keen

DESIGN MANAGER — KFORM

“IMTS is experiential. It’s the place where I talk with influencers and market leaders. Making connections gives me a stronger network and broader team to execute. That’s how highly successful companies operate.”

Jim Carr

OWNER — CARR MACHINE & TOOL, INC.

“I identify with the different machine tool technologies, the CAD-CAM software, ERP systems and cutting tool technologies. Those are the four major things that are really impactful to run my business. I plan out all my ‘absolutely have to visit’ exhibits, then backfill with everything else.”

Bob Bechtold

PRESIDENT — HARBEC, INC

“We saw new technology at IMTS we didn't know existed – it blew us away. It's common to experience that ‘wow’ moment once or twice at IMTS. We just never know what we're going to find, but we know if it's worth finding, it will be there.”

Mike Hogarty

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER — RED BLUE COLLECTIVE

“You can talk about that new diet plan and exercise routine all you want, but until they become part of your routine, you won't get healthier. A business strategy works the same way. You need good methodologies, daily habits and a strong network. These are the types of things we'll discuss at the IMTS Maker Meet-up. ”

Linda Cobos

EXECUTIVE OFFICE MANAGER — CARR MACHINE & TOOL

“Even though I'm not a machinist, there is something I can bring back from my experience at IMTS. We're all a part of the team, and it's important that we're all involved in the growth of the company, so whatever we can learn at IMTS is useful.”

Jim Carr & Jason Zenger

CO-HOSTS — MAKINGCHIPS PODCAST

“Some of my best friends have 200-man machine shops here in Chicago. I learn they have identical problems to those in my eight-person shop. Even on a different scale, we all share the same problems, and if we come together as a community through IMTS and share our issues and dreams, we can make big things happen.”

Bill Seyferth

PRESIDENT — EAGLE CNC TECHNOLOGIES

“Attending IMTS is like getting a glimpse into the future. Some of the technologies on display are so new that you don't always realize the significance of what you're seeing at the time. There are revolutionary disruptive technologies out there that get introduced at every IMTS, and it blows me away every time.”

Marcus Alexander

OWNER — MCC TOOLING

“IMTS is as much about relationships as it is about hardware. I enjoy talking with the technicians and software engineers at the show. It's nice to develop a friendship over the years and keep in touch because if we ever have a problem, they're the people we go to.”

Jason Zenger

PRESIDENT — ZENGERS INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY

“I'm looking for something that can move around doing different types of jobs, something that is a ‘plug and play’ way for clients to automate their processes. Automation is possible in ways job shops never thought of before and in ways that they thought were reserved for larger manufacturing companies.”

Matt Guse

Peter Claus

CNC SUPERVISOR — HFW INDUSTRIES

“In this age when people are doing more shopping online and retail stores are closing, IMTS is still really important for my purchasing decisions. I can touch it, pick it up, look at it and talk with the tool reps. It's all in one place, which is fantastic.”

Rob Sattler

VICE PRESIDENT — SATTLER, INC.

“For me, IMTS is a toy store. I often stumble upon pleasant surprises. There's always something I hadn't thought to look for that catches my eye. I like to go down every aisle and visit every corner of the show. I'm not only researching new solutions for our shop, I’m looking for potential new customers. I can walk in 50 feet and talk to four different prospects. It eliminates a huge amount of legwork.”

Callye Keen & Mike Hogarty

RED BLUE COLLECTIVE

“We want to connect people who have ideas from outside the industry with the people who can help those ideas become reality. Makers might not have considered going to IMTS, or they didn't know the show existed, so we're going to host a Maker Meet-up at IMTS with the focus on sharing IMTS resources with the maker community.”

Scott Harms

PRESIDENT — METALQUEST, INC.

Scott enjoys a lot about IMTS — the networking, the solution gathering, and above all, the technology. “We're cost competitive because of the new automation cell we integrated,” Harms said. “IMTS allows us to stay competitive and relevant in this industry. If we don't stay on the front end of technology, we're going to fall behind and lose jobs.”

Terry & Molly Keene

CO-OWNERS — TEK MANUFACTURING, INC.

Terry and Molly Keene started a high-tech machine shop by accident in 1978, and now they can't imagine doing anything else. The married couple has co-owned Tek Manufacturing, Inc., in Spokane Valley, Wash., for four decades and credit IMTS as being an integral part of growing their company from a small dream to a big success.

Julie Hoban

CEO — JTD ENTERPRISES

Julie says the excitement is immense when her staff returns from IMTS – their energy motivates everyone here. Nothing is more exciting than getting something new at the shop, so when we see a potential new addition at the show, everyone dreams about the possibilities. Often, we end up purchasing that new technology, and it makes jobs better.

Rick Hoffman

CEO — EIMCO

A busload of EIMCo employees comes to IMTS. The team strategizes ahead of time, discussing what they need to improve at the shop and where they should focus at the show. Robotic automation, optical scanners and automated gauging are their areas of interest for IMTS.

Roger Pyle

PRESIDENT — BANNISTER TOOL, INCORPORATED

There's nothing like many kinds of equipment operating and talking with experts in person. Roger purchases demo units off the show floor because he sees it running and know it will do the job for Banister Tool.

Renato Belletti

OWNER — REN TOOL & MFG., INC.

“When I returned to IMTS in 1986, I was blown away with how much the industry technology had progressed,” Belletti admitted. “It took time for me to catch up and get familiar with new trends and equipment that would help my company be competitive. No one wants to be left behind with old equipment.”

Geno Lemery

DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES — WINSERT, INC.

“Ten years ago we were somewhat stagnant,” Lemery said. “There was nothing unique about our mechanical capabilities over other suppliers. But at IMTS, we've discovered equipment, workholding and cutting tools that we never knew existed.”

Tom & Julie Hoban

JTD ENTERPRISES

“At this year's IMTS, I'll bring some blueprints of a new design project I'm working on for the motorcycle business. If it takes off, it's going to require a lot of machining support, so I'm already figuring out how to prepare for that. I'll just start walking into booths and say, ‘How can you help me with this?’ That's what's great about IMTS.”

Mark Tario

“Everybody has dreams for improving their business, but it takes more than generating ideas,” Tario said. “Being able to think about it, create it, bring it to life and improve what we do is so important. IMTS is an idea incubator for me because I gather information there and the ideas just start churning in my mind. Soon it reaches a phase where I know I've got enough ‘mentally solidified’ to make it happen. I feel many ideas are born out of opportunities that are disguised as challenges.”

Tom Hoban

OPERATIONS MANAGER — JTD ENTERPRISES

“The biggest challenge right now is just to stay on top of technological advances,” Hoban said. “I do that by attending IMTS and seeing what's going to revolutionize my business. Every two years things change so drastically, whether it is tooling or just general technology. It's always worth the trip to see what's new and exciting in this industry.”